Growth of aridity and development of integrated land reclamation in the Republic of Tatarstan

Abstract

Subject. The article addresses problems of organization of efficient and stable agricultural production in conditions of climate aridity in the Volga region. Objectives. The aim is to review the current state of the land reclamation industry in the Republic of Tatarstan, to elaborate recommendations for its further development. Methods. The study employs methods of comparison, systematization, and generalization of data. Results. We investigated the dynamics of agrometeorological data for 2006–2020 in the Republic of Tatarstan and revealed a trend towards an increase in climate aridity in the Volga region. The assessment of economic efficiency of irrigated agriculture enabled to state that potato yield increases by four times due to irrigation. Watering perennial crops helps provide the livestock industry with a reliable feed base. Conclusions. Despite the high economic efficiency of agricultural land reclamation, the number of agricultural producers introducing it into production activities remains low due to the high cost of restoration, construction and operation of land reclamation facilities, scarce technical and financial resources at agricultural enterprises.